Bicycle saddle assembly

ABSTRACT

A bicycle saddle assembly comprises a saddle body including a wider posterior portion for supporting bicycle rider&#39;s buttocks and a narrow anterior portion which fits between bicycle rider&#39;s crotch. The saddle body further includes a concave portion provided between the wider posterior portion and the narrow anterior portion. The saddle body has a highest area located on the wider posterior portion and a lowest area located on the concave portion to define an opening space with a sufficient depth above the concave portion so that, as riding, bicycle riders can arrange his perineal areas comfortably on the saddle body to relieve pressure placed thereon and dissipate heat generated therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to bicycle saddles and moreparticularly to a bicycle saddle assembly that includes a saddle bodyhaving an opening space to arrange the rider's genital area and therebyat once reduces the pressure placed thereon and dissipates heatgenerated therein.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional bicycle seats or saddles are typically horizontal inprofile with a narrow front end portion and a wider rear portion. Thenarrow front end portion creates a pressure zone on the perineal areasof the rider, which may adversely affect blood vessels and nerves andcause distress or injury to surrounding anatomical organs and tissues.

To try to avoid the drawbacks described above, U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,059discloses a bicycle saddle having a front which broadens towards a rearthat has a notched groove. In practical using, we can find that such adesign can only relieve part of pressure placed on the perineal areas ofthe rider. Therefore, it is desirable to have a saddle with aconstruction that all of pressure placed on the perineal areas of therider can be relieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide abicycle saddle assembly with an opening space which can fully relievepressure placed on the rider's perineal areas.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a bicyclesaddle assembly with ventilation function for dissipating heat generatedin the rider's perineal areas as riding.

In carrying out the foregoing objectives, a bicycle saddle assembly inaccordance with the present invention comprises a saddle body includinga wider posterior portion for supporting bicycle rider's buttocks and anarrow anterior portion which fits between bicycle rider's crotch. Thesaddle body further includes a concave portion provided between thewider posterior portion and the narrow anterior portion. The saddle bodyhas a highest area located on the wider posterior portion and a lowestarea located on the concave portion so that an opening space with asufficient depth is defined above the concave portion. Whereby, asriding, bicycle riders can arrange his perineal areas comfortably on thesaddle body to relieve pressure placed thereon and dissipate heatgenerated therein.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wider posteriorportion of the saddle body has a supporting plate on which the highestarea located. The concave portion has a base on which the lowest arealocated, a first inclined section which rises gradually from the lowestarea to the supporting plate of the wider posterior portion, and asecond inclined section which rises gradually from the lowest area tothe narrow anterior portion so that an arc-shaped opening space with asufficient depth can be formed above the concave portion.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the saddlebody has a mounting portion being U-shaped in transverse cross sectionand extending downwardly from the underneath side of the saddle body.The bicycle saddle assembly in accordance with the present inventionfurther comprises a mounting means to cooperate with the mountingportion of the saddle body so that the saddle body can be easily mountedon a seat post of a bicycle.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mountingmeans may include an upper device and a lower device. The mountingportion of the saddle body defines an end part to cooperate with theupper device and the lower device to mount the saddle body on a seatpost of a bicycle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention may be more clearly understood with reference tothe following detailed description, in conjunction with the appendeddrawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment accordingto the present invention more clearly showing the saddle assemblymounting on a seat post of a bicycle;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a saddle body of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the saddle body of the embodiment shown in FIG.1 move clearly showing the ways of positioning the genital area in thecase of a male rider;

FIG. 10 is a side view of a saddle body of a second preferred embodimentaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of a third preferred embodiment according tothe present invention; and

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of a fourth preferred embodiment accordingto the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1-12, there can be seen bicycle saddle assembly10 embodying the present invention. Bicycle saddle assembly 10 includesa saddle body 12 and a mounting means 14 to mount saddle body 12 on aseat post 1 of a bicycle. Saddle body 12 has a wider posterior portion20 for supporting bicycle rider's buttocks, a narrow anterior portion 22which fits between bicycle rider's crotch and a concave portion 24located between wider posterior portion 20 and narrow anterior portion22.

Wider posterior portion 20 is a supporting plate with a pair ofdepressed upper surface 202, 204 respectively provided on either side ofthe center axis of the saddle body 12 so that the rider's buttocks canclosely rest on wider posterior portion 20 (as shown in FIG. 8).

Concave portion 24 has a base 240, a first slope section 242 extendingupwardly from base 240 to one end of wider posterior portion 20, and asecond slop section 244 extending upwardly from base 240 to one end ofnarrow anterior portion 22. In this embodiment, first slop section 242is longer than second slop section 244 so that base 240 can be locatednear narrow anterior portion 22. Particularly, concave portion 24 has apair of downwardly extending and symmetrically distributed sides 246, sothat the rider's crotch can be comfortably fitted thereto (as shown inFIG. 7).

Saddle body 12 has a highest area H positioned on wider posteriorportion 20 and a lowest area L positioned on base 240. The difference Dbetween highest area H and lowest area L varies from 30 mm to 60 mm soas to form an arc-shaped opening space 30 with a sufficient depth aboveconcave portion 24 to arrange rider's genitals (as shown in FIG. 9). Inthis embodiment, the upper side of saddle body 12 provides a ventilationchannel 26 extending along the center axis thereof.

Extending downwardly from the underneath side of saddle body 12 is amounting portion 40. Mounting portion 40 has an rectangle upper opening400, two side walls 402 extending respectively and downwardly from eachlong side of upper opening 400, a front wall 406, a rear opening 408, arear reinforced edge 409 and a bottom wall 410 with a long cut 412. Inthis embodiment, bottom wall 410 is horizontally provided so that eachside wall 402 has a short front side 414 and a long rear side 416.

Please referring to FIG. 10, in another embodiment, long rear side 416′of each side wall 402′ of mounting portion 40′ has a cove 418′ so thateach side wall 402′ will function as a buffer to absorb the shocks asriding.

Mounting means 14 is designed to cooperate with mounting portion 40 ofsaddle body 12 so that saddle body 12 can be easily mounted on seat post1 of a bicycle. Mounting means 14 includes an upper device 16 with atleast a threaded hole 160 and an under device 18 with a center groove180 and a long hole 182 (as shown in FIG. 2).

In mounting, upper device 16 is placed into the inside of mountingportion 40 from upper opening 400 and against the upper surface ofbottom wall 410. Under device 18 is placed under the lower surface ofbottom wall 410 in such a way that the end part of mounting portion 40can be received in center groove 180 of under device 18. In thisembodiment, a prior art connecting device 2 is placed on the top end ofseat post 1 to cooperate with under device 18 so that a bolt 3 can beinserted through a hole provided on seat post 1, long hole 182 of underdevice 18 and screwed into threaded hole 160 of upper device 16 to mountsaddle body 12 on seat post 1.

Referring further to FIGS. 13 and 14, in another embodiment, a mountingmeans 50 has an upper device 52 and an under device 54. Upper device 52is designed to have a lengthwise trench 520, a long hole 522 and twocrosswise trenches 524. Under device 54 is the same as mounting means14. In mounting, two short nuts 56 are used to be respectively receivedin each crosswise trench 524 and screwed into by a bolt. Alternatively,in a further embodiment, a long nut 58 is used to be received inlengthwise trench 520 and screwed into by a bolt.

1. A bicycle saddle assembly, comprising: a saddle body including awider posterior portion for supporting bicycle rider's buttocks and anarrow anterior portion which fits between bicycle rider's crotch; saidsaddle body further including a concave portion provided between saidwider posterior portion and said narrow anterior portion, a highest arealocated on said wider posterior portion and a lowest area located onsaid concave portion to define an opening space with a sufficient depthabove said concave portion; whereby the bicycle rider can arrange hisgenitals comfortably on said saddle body.
 2. The bicycle saddle assemblyas claimed in claim 1, wherein the difference between said highest areaand said lowest area varies from 30 to 60 mm.
 3. The bicycle saddleassembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wider posterior portion ofsaid saddle body has a supporting plate on which said highest arealocated.
 4. The bicycle saddle assembly as claimed in claim 3, whereinsaid supporting plate has a pair of depressed upper surface respectivelydistributed on either side of the center axis of said saddle body sothat the rider's buttocks can closely rest on said wider posteriorportion.
 5. The bicycle saddle assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid concave portion has a base on which said lowest area located, afirst inclined section rising gradually from said lowest area to saidhighest area, and a second inclined section rising gradually from saidlowest area to said narrow anterior portion so that an arc-shapedopening space with a sufficient depth is defined above said concaveportion.
 6. The bicycle saddle assembly as claimed in claim 5, whereinthe length of said first slop section is longer than that of said secondslop section.
 7. The bicycle saddle assembly as claimed in claim 5,wherein said concave portion has a pair of downwardly extending andsymmetrically distributed sides so that the rider's crotch can becomfortably fitted thereto.
 8. The bicycle saddle assembly as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the upper side of said saddle body provides aventilation channel extending along the center axis thereof.
 9. Thebicycle saddle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said saddle bodyhas a mounting portion being U-shaped in transverse cross section andextending downwardly from the underneath side thereof.
 10. The bicyclesaddle assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said mounting portionincludes an upper opening with two long side formed on the upper side ofsaid saddle body, two side walls extending downwardly from each saidlong side, and a bottom wall.
 11. The bicycle saddle assembly as claimedin claim 10, wherein said mounting portion further includes a rearopening with a rear reinforced edge.
 12. The bicycle saddle assembly asclaimed in claim 10, wherein each said side wall has a long side and ashort side.
 13. The bicycle saddle assembly as claimed in claim 12,wherein said long side of said side wall has a cove to absorb the shockas riding.
 14. The bicycle saddle assembly as claimed in claim 9,further comprising a mounting means to cooperate with said mountingportion of said saddle body so that said saddle body can be easilymounted on a seat post of a bicycle.
 15. The bicycle saddle assembly asclaimed in claim 14, wherein said mounting means includes an upperdevice and a lower device, said mounting portion of said saddle body hasan end part to cooperate with said upper device and said lower device tomount said saddle body on a seat post of a bicycle.
 16. The bicyclesaddle assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein said upper device has atleast a threaded hole, said under device has a center groove and a longhole.
 17. The bicycle saddle assembly as claimed in claim 15, whereinsaid upper device has a lengthwise trench and a long hole, said underdevice has a center groove and a long hole, said mounting means furtherincludes a long nut received in said lengthwise trench to be screwedinto by a bolt.
 18. The bicycle saddle assembly as claimed in claim 15,wherein said upper device has a long hole and two crosswise trenches,said under device has a center groove and a long hole, said mountingmeans further includes at least a short nut received in said crosswisetrench to be screwed into by a bolt.